A Rambling(2)

Salt Creek Beach Park, Dana Point, CA 

January 12, 2013, 8 AM,

Sunny, 40 degrees...
A walk along the beach finds a few other walkers and joggers
who are younger, leaner and obviously fitter than me,
a few brave souls on surfing boards out in the ocean,
then a few kayakers rowing briskly.

Encouraged by all this, I decide to explore every little corner of 
this little beach park and walk from one end of the boardwalk
to the other end and up and down the steps,
climbing and descending.

All the nondescript plants along the steep slopes well-protected
by the posted laws and fences exude and boast their confidence
and health along with all these humans preoccupied
with their fitness and health.

Sooner or later more people are showing up in twos and threes,
and the park is being crowded.
I can't help overhearing some of their conversations,
which again have to do with health.

Then I find a couple of crows picking on the dead seagull
on the beach, preoccupied with their nutritious breakfast.

My slow brain gradually realize something in common,
among the people here, the plants and the birds, namely,
all preoccupied with their health, body, an instinct we all share
as living things.

On my way back to my rented beach condo I find a War Memorial
in the corner of the park, appropriately decorated,
in the middle of a small garden, with a number of plaques
showing the names of the fallen heroes during different wars.
These are the young men who were born here, Dana Point,
a paradise town at the beach(at least that was my first impression),
but killed in the wars elsewhere.

My heart was quietly enjoying all of these until my first glance
at the plaque finds the names of three young men on top of
the list who got killed in Korean War.

What could I say anymore?
The Korean War claimed three young men's lives who were
born here.

Here I'm standing as one of Koreans who never knew
this place existed until a year ago and fell in love
with this little beach town at the first sight.
The least I can do is to thank these three heroes who died
for my fatherland, I must say.
My eyes look out towards the vast ocean without a focus,
and my heart finally wakes up to find itself awed
by His mysterious work once again.